P-16/P-20 Councils: Name of Council

Currently, 38 states have established a P-16 or P-20 council. Two states (Louisiana and Pennsylvania) have two councils convening P-16/P-20 stakeholders, for a total of 40 P-16 or P-20 councils nationwide. An additional four states do not have a P-16 or P-20 council, but have consolidated most or all governance of public education in one or two agencies or boards who essentially perform the function of a P-16 or P-20 council. The names of these governing agencies or boards are designated with an asterisk (*).Why does it matter?

Establishing a P-16 or P-20 council sets a formal expectation and a venue for collaboration across early learning, K-12 and postsecondary providers.

Methodology: ECS performed an initial search of statutes, regulations and executive orders. However, because many P-16 and P-20 councils are established independently of these means, ECS conducted interviews with and had all data verified by at least one contact in the state (typically a P-16 or P-20 council member or staff member supporting the council).

Last update: May 28, 2008

This database was compiled by Jennifer Dounay, project manager, ECS High School Policy Center. For questions, additions or corrections: 303.299.3689 or jdounay@ecs.org.

Name of council

Alabama

State does not have a P-16 or P-20 council at this time.

Alaska

State does not have a P-16 or P-20 council at this time.

Arizona

The Governor's P-20 Council

Arkansas

Arkansas Commission for Coordination of Educational Efforts

California

Superintendent's California P-16 Council

Colorado

The Governor's P-20 Education Coordinating Council

Connecticut

Connecticut's PK-20 Council

Delaware

Delaware P-20 Council

Florida

State Board of Education and Board of Governors of the State University System*

Constitutional amendments approved by voters in 1998 authorized the reorganization of Florida's education system. These changes were codified in 2000 as the Florida Education Governance Reorganization Act of 2000. The act requires the governor to appoint a seven-member state board of education with authority for education from Prekindergarten through graduate school education, as well as authority to appoint the commissioner of education. Effective January 7, 2003, the act additionally eliminated numerous commissions and boards (including the Board of Regents) and reassigned their authority to the Florida Board of Education. The 2002 rewrite of the education code created the K-20 Education Code. However, a successful 2002 constitutional amendment created the Board of Governors to oversee the state university system; these changes were codified in 2003 and subsequent legislation. The roles of the Board of Governors and its staff continue to be sorted out in legislative and Board actions.

Georgia

Alliance of Education Agency Heads

Hawaii

United for Learning: The Hawaii P-20 Initiative

Idaho

State Board of Education*

The Idaho State Board of Education oversees both K-12 and postsecondary education (K-20), fulfilling the function of a P-16 council.

Illinois

Illinois P-20 Council

Indiana

Indiana's Education Roundtable

Iowa

State Board of Education*

Although the Iowa Learns Council was created by executive order in 2003 by former Governor Vilsack, the council has not been reconvened by the new gubernatorial administration.

However, the state board of education oversees early childhood, K-12, community colleges, and all teacher and administrator preparation programs in the state, fulfilling at least part of the function of a P-16 council.

Kansas

Governor's P20 Education Council

Kentucky

Kentucky P-16 Council

Louisiana

Louisiana maintains two councils that convene P-16 stakeholders: (1) the Blue Ribbon Commission for Educational Excellence and (2) the High School Redesign Commission. Both are included in this database.

Maine

Pre-K through Adult Advisory Council

Maryland

P-20 Leadership Council

Massachusetts

State does not have a P-16 or P-20 council at this time.

Michigan

State Board of Education*

The state board has many direct supervisory duties in connection with local school districts and community colleges and indirect coordinating duties for the four-year state colleges and universities.

Minnesota

Minnesota P-16 Partnership

Mississippi

The P-20 Council, established in 2001, is currently being reconstituted based on the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Committee for the Redesign of Teacher and Leadership Preparation Programs. During this redesign phase, the original P-20 Council has been suspended, with other structures in place to deal with the issues normally brought before the council. The redesigned P-20 Council will begin its work in Summer 2008.

Missouri

Missouri P-20 Council

Montana

The Board of Education–the Kindergarten to College Workgroup

Nebraska

Nebraska P-16 Leadership Council

Nevada

P-16 Advisory Council

New Hampshire

P-16 Working Group

New Jersey

State does not have a P-16 or P-20 council at this time.

New Mexico

State does not have a P-16 or P-20 council at this time. However, the joint higher education department (HED)/and Public Education Department (PED) Alignment Task Force, comprised of leaders in both departments, legislative leaders and representatives of the higher education institutions and school districts, performs some functions of a P-20 council in the areas of data sharing, alignment of high school competencies with college placement requirements, dual credit, and other policy areas.

New York

Education Department*

Statute charges the education department with "the general management and supervision of all public schools and all of
the educational work of the state, including the operations of The
University of the State of New York and the exercise of all the
functions of the education department, of The University of the State
of New York, of the regents of the university and of the commissioner
of education and the performance of all their powers and duties[.]" The board of regents and commissioner of education by extension oversee early learning, K-12 and postsecondary education in the state.

In November 2006, the state released P-16 Education: A Plan for Action, which sets forth specific actions (and related lead staff, timeframes, and resources) across the P-16 continuum.

North Carolina

North Carolina Education Cabinet

North Dakota

State does not have a P-16 or P-20 council at this time. However, in January 2006 a North Dakota P-16 Education Task Force was convened. The task force was disbanded after submitting its final report to the joint boards–the state board of public school education, the state board of higher education, the education standards and practices board, and the state board for career and technical education–in September 2006.

Pennsylvania maintains two areas of P-16 work: (1) the STEM PK-20 Leadership Team, Design Team and Regional Networks; and (2) an extensive network of regional councils supported by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). Both are included in this database.

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